Never has there been a better time to study natural health. More than ever, people are aware that invasive and aggressive treatments of disease do not always lead to better health. As medical costs continue to escalate, more people are seeking self-empowering alternatives.

• In 1997, 83 million Americans — more than 42% of the U.S. population — reported that they use alternative care. The number of annual visits to alternative practitioners exceeded 629 million, which is nearly double the number of visits to all primary care physicians (386 million) (Esienberg, 1998).
• A 2002 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that 62% of adults had used some form of alternative healthcare during the prior 12 months, including prayer for healing self or others, natural products, meditation, chiropractic care, massage, diet and others (Barnes, 2004).
• Of those using alternative care, 28% believed that conventional healthcare would not be helpful to them (Barnes, 2004).
• 26% of those using alternative care did so at the suggestion of a conventional medical practitioner (Barnes, 2004).

Traditional naturopaths and holistic nutrition consultants are seeing people become more attuned to the mind—body—spirit connection as they seek, and achieve, optimal health. A growing number of allopathic physicians accept the use of alternative approaches to good health.

As the world searches for natural and safe health alternatives, Clayton College invites you to join us in proclaiming a simple truth: the body is innately designed to heal itself.

Barnes, P. (2004, May 27). Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults: United States, 2002 [Electronic version]. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics.
Esienberg, D. (1998). Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990-1997. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 280 (18), 1569-1575.